A noteworthy life to share but one more stirring in recordings than on these pages.
The legendary 20th-century gospel singer takes center stage in a too-short song of praise.
From her childhood in New Orleans to a move to Chicago as a teen, Nolan’s text tells readers that Mahalia Jackson loved one thing above all others—singing in church. She toured the South, performing in churches rather than nightclubs despite the lure of better pay, and without fail, her “joyful voice lifted people with hope.” A recording contract and radio broadcasts brought a larger audience, and eventually she appeared at Carnegie Hall and sang for world leaders. On the day of the 1963 March on Washington, she sang prior to Dr. King’s speech, although there is no mention of her momentous advice to him. Nolan’s brief text, with unsourced quotations, is more focused on Jackson’s musical drive than on the specifics of her career. The only mention of racism comes in the chronology, a misstep in a book about an African-American performer born in 1911; sadly, there is no note about gospel music. Holyfield’s full-bleed acrylic paintings are richly textured and feature a portrait of Jackson on every double-page spread, her voice raised to the heavens.
A noteworthy life to share but one more stirring in recordings than on these pages. (resources) (Picture book/biography. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-087944-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Amistad/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2014
An absolute pleasure.
A small dog takes a huge leap.
True to her name, sled dog puppy Leap spends her days bounding happily through blankets of freshly fallen snow, bouncily biding her time until she, too, can suit up for a run with the team. Each dog brings a different, equally essential skill to the work of mushing, and as too-young Leap greets the pack when they return from their daily hike, she worries—what if she lacks a special talent of her own when it’s her time to race? But when the much-anticipated day arrives and Leap clips in for her rookie run, her feet tippity-tap excitedly, any trace of self-doubt eclipsed by her irrepressible enthusiasm. With their new addition in tow, the other dogs take off, buoyed as ever by a confidence borne from specialized expertise; they confront obstacles head-on, sailing easily along icy Northwoods terrain. That is until the team encounters a seemingly insurmountable hurdle, one that only their greenest member can clear. Dogsled racer Braverman’s sweet narrative builds a satisfying case for individuality as a community asset, celebrating both the value of teamwork and the discrete strengths that comprise it. Savvy readers will take pride in predicting Leap’s unique contribution, while canine lovers will delight in the revelation that the pups depicted are all real-life sled dogs working in northern Wisconsin. When’s illustrations are equal parts spellbinding and precious, deftly balancing compositional simplicity with masterful color work. The result is peerless.
An absolute pleasure. (author’s note) (Picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2025
ISBN: 9780063238053
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
A beautifully designed book that will resonate with children and the adults who wisely share it with them.
An inspirational ode to the life of the great South African leader by an award-winning author and illustrator.
Mandela’s has been a monumental life, a fact made clear on the front cover, which features an imposing, full-page portrait. The title is on the rear cover. His family gave him the Xhosa name Rolihlahla, but his schoolteacher called him Nelson. Later, he was sent to study with village elders who told him stories about his beautiful and fertile land, which was conquered by European settlers with more powerful weapons. Then came apartheid, and his protests, rallies and legal work for the cause of racial equality led to nearly 30 years of imprisonment followed at last by freedom for Mandela and for all South Africans. “The ancestors, / The people, / The world, / Celebrated.” Nelson’s writing is spare, poetic, and grounded in empathy and admiration. His oil paintings on birch plywood are muscular and powerful. Dramatic moments are captured in shifting perspectives; a whites-only beach is seen through a wide-angle lens, while faces behind bars and faces beaming in final victory are masterfully portrayed in close-up.
A beautifully designed book that will resonate with children and the adults who wisely share it with them. (author’s note, bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-06-178374-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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